some time. Then I said:

"This--it seems to me that the whole thing is done for money. How
utterly unnatural it is to call up the dead--one's great-grandfather,
let us say--and pay money for talking to him."

"Precisely," said my Friend without a moment's pause. "I thought so. Now
suppose I could bring you into contact with the spirit world through a
medium, or through different _medii_, without there being any question
of money, other than a merely nominal fee, the money being, as it were,
left out of count, and regarded as only, so to speak, nominal, something
given merely _pro forma_ and _ad interim_. Under these circumstances,
will you try the experiment?"

I rose and took my Friend's hand.

"My dear fellow," I said, "I not only will, but I shall."

From this conversation dated my connection with Spiritualism, which has
since opened for me a new world.

It would be out of place for me to indicate the particular address
or the particular methods employed by the agency to which my Friend
introduced me. I am anxious to avoid anything approaching a commercial
tinge in what I write. Moreover, their advertisement can be seen
along with many others--all, I am sure, just as honourable and just as
trustworthy--in the columns of any daily newspaper. As everybody knows,
many methods are employed. The tapping of a table, the movement of a
ouija board, or the voice of a trance medium, are only a few among the
many devices by which the spirits now enter into communication with us.
But in my own case the method used was not only simplicity itself, but
was so framed as to carry with it the proof of its own genuineness. One
had merely to speak into the receiver of a telephone, and the voice of
the spirit was heard through the transmitter as in an ordinary telephone
conversation.

It was only natural, after the scoffing remark that I had made, that
I should begin with my great-grandfather. Nor can I ever forget the
peculiar thrill that went through me when I was informed by the head
of the agency that a tracer was being sent out for Great-grandfather to
call him to the phone.

Great-grandfather--let me do him this justice--was prompt. He was
there in three minutes. Whatever his line of business was in the
spirit world--and I was never able to learn it--he must have left it
immediately and hurried to the telephone. Whatever later dissatisfaction
I may have had with Great-grandfather, let me state it fairly and
honestly, he